EP 278: Author Allison Larkin on 'The People We Keep' and Thriving with ADHD
May 1, 2024
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Bestselling author Allison Larkin discusses how ADHD has enhanced her writing career. She shares insights on embracing creativity, authentic storytelling, and finding supportive writing communities. The conversation explores personal storytelling, overcoming industry standards, and managing ADHD traits for success.
ADHD can enhance creativity by embracing unique cognitive styles.
Storytelling helps process emotions and find meaning in personal experiences.
Building a supportive creative community fosters positive environment and growth.
Deep dives
Alison Larkin's Journey with Writing and Neurodivergence
Alison Larkin shares her journey of writing, highlighting her unique blend of creativity and neurodivergence. She discusses her evolution from writing light-hearted rom-coms to a more intense novel like 'The People We Keep,' revealing how her personal experiences shaped the deeper themes expressed in her work.
Challenges and Transformative Process in Writing 'The People We Keep'
Alison Larkin delves into the challenges she faced while writing 'The People We Keep,' expressing the impact of personal traumas and difficulties in her creative process. She emphasizes the power of storytelling in helping her process emotions and find meaning in past experiences, showcasing the pivotal role of her creative work in her life.
Connecting with a Supportive Creative Community
In discussing her Patreon community, the True Hearts Collective, Alison Larkin underscores the importance of finding a supportive creative group. She highlights the significance of constructive feedback and connection with like-minded individuals in fostering a positive creative environment, emphasizing the value of understanding and encouraging each other's unique perspectives.
Utilizing Scrivener for Writing Organization
Alison Larkin recommends Scrivener as a valuable tool for organizing thoughts and notes during the writing process. She describes how Scrivener's features, like storing chapter notes and rearranging files, have enhanced her writing workflow and streamlined her creative endeavors, despite an initial learning curve.
Empowering ADHD Traits in Creative Pursuits
Alison Larkin reflects on the ADHD traits that have contributed to her success as a writer, highlighting her constellation thinking, vibrant imagination, and ability to connect authentically with neurodivergent individuals. She emphasizes how embracing her unique cognitive style has enriched her creative work and fostered meaningful relationships within her community.
What makes us different can be the very thing that makes us shine. For writers with ADHD, navigating the creative process is both a challenge and a fascinating opportunity. Bestselling author Allison Larkin has turned the unique challenges of ADHD into the fertile ground from which her successful writing career has blossomed. Join us as we explore Allison’s journey from facing academic struggles in an unsupportive environment to discovering her passion for storytelling—a powerful expression of her true potential. Her experiences demonstrate how ADHD's perceived limitations can actually enhance creativity.
Allison’s story is not just about accepting neurodiversity but celebrating it, showing that authenticity fosters the deepest connections and the most impactful work.
Allison Larkin is the acclaimed author of novels such as Stay, Why Can’t I Be You, Swimming for Sunlight, and The People We Keep. Her stories and essays have appeared in publications like the Summerset Review and Slice, as well as in anthologies such as I’m Not the Biggest Bitch in This Relationship and Author in Progress. Living in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, Jeremy, and their rescue dog, Roxy, Allison was diagnosed with ADHD at 19. She didn’t start writing until her mid-twenties when she discovered how to channel her unique thought processes into storytelling. Now, she considers her ADHD her biggest asset in her writing career and is passionate about helping others harness their creativity.